The Honey Bees are getting comfortable with all of our daily routines as we get ready to start our third week of preschool. I spent a lot of time this week observing how we like to play and making small adjustments to our schedule as we get to know each other. I also want to spend a lot of time outside as we still seem to be in deep summer.
We have three caterpillars in our room right now and spent some time talking and reading about metamorphosis. We have a swallowtail caterpillar munching on dill, and a monarch and a milkweed tussock moth in another habitat with milkweed. I still want to find a few more monarchs for our room and to share with the Friendly Foxes and Bluebirds. Today I smiled realizing how much I love riding around with a butterfly habitat in my car at all times.
We are going to start talking about honey bees this week, but will circle around to our caterpillars often. I’m envisioning some butterfly life cycle yoga early in the week.
This past week we really started learning about our two rules at school. 1) We are safe. And 2) We are kind. This week we will watercolor our handprints and make a collaborative artwork that brings all of our hands together in our group commitment to these two rules. We also spent a lot of time talking about ways to get the things that you need and what to do if you want a toy that is in someone else’s hands. I really don’t even use the word share. We are learning that we can’t take toys out of other people’s hands, and that because you played with something and put it down, it is then available for someone else to play with. These ideas are huge!! We have been walking them through it and showing them how to take the toy to the person who was wanting it when they are done. The huge smile is quite motivating when it works. We are talking about using our words and then getting a teacher to help.
The Honey Bees really responded to music with Marci on Wednesday, and we’ll look forward to that each week. On Thursday, we enjoyed going to the Friendly Fox class for a book with Storyman Bob. He comes at about eleven fifteen and plays outside on the playground before storytime.
The afternoon kids also got to meet three sixth graders from the Blacksburg New School. As part of their elective program, we have kids coming at 2:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays to play outside and perhaps read a closing story. They are friendly and interactive and have even found a way to fit into our unicorn costumes.
If you haven’t brought in a family picture please do so this week. I also have a special project for each of our families. I have some cards on 
a tray on the kitchen counter in my room for you to record your hopes and dreams for your child for the coming year. You are welcome to take it home, but could you bring this back by Friday. We are going to hang them on our Honey Bee tree for the year.
